


(Drag me 'Round) Kicking and Screaming

by Frenchibi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Pocketkawa, Tiny Tooru, magical pranks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9594986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frenchibi/pseuds/Frenchibi
Summary: The Thing topples ungracefully off his chest and right into his lap-and it lets out an indignant squeal."Wah, what the-"Hajime knows that voice."...you shrunk," he says. "You fucking shrunk."





	1. Something's Gotta Give

**Author's Note:**

  * For [1000ft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/1000ft/gifts).



> With many thanks to Mars for letting me use [this idea](http://yaboykeiji.tumblr.com/post/130863356039/silly-sloppy-pocketkawa-shoutout-to-the-usual).

He knows there's something wrong when he wakes up and Oikawa isn't clinging to him.

The thing is, he hasn't woken up without Oikawa plastered all over him (elbows and knees digging into his sides, hair tickling Hajime's chin) in more than half a year. They've been enrolled at university together for seven months now, and living together for eight - and, as is common knowledge really, Oikawa has no concept of personal space.

Or, well. He has no concept of personal space when it comes to Hajime, at least.

Not that Hajime really... minds all that much, if he's totally honest. It's just how Oikawa is, it's a thing Oikawa does, and Hajime has learned to deal with it. Shoving him off has never deterred Oikawa for long, and the insults Hajime throws at him were never really insults in the first place - Hajime has known from the very beginning that being friends with Oikawa would mean indulging him a lot. It's just how it is. And it's not like he never gets anything back. Oikawa isn't a bad friend to have, once you get through to him.

The point stands, though, that Hajime immediately knows something is wrong when Oikawa breaks their rhythm.

He blinks his eyes open blearily, expecting more light than he actually gets once he's opened them.

That's strange.

If Oikawa is up before him (rare, but not unheard of), he skips around and opens all the blinds just to piss Hajime off.

The rational part of Hajime's brain is telling him he probably just went to the bathroom and he should be back any minute now - but the door to his room is closed. If Oikawa intends to come back, he leaves it open, even if it's just a crack.

Hajime blinks at the door for a few seconds, as if he could telepathically make it open to prove him right (while his mind is already racing - did Oikawa go out without wanting Hajime to know? They do their morning run together, they always have, why would he suddenly-)

And then he shifts slightly, and he's distracted by the weight of... something on his chest.

It's small enough to explain him not noticing it at first - but it's definitely too large to be... anything that makes sense.

It feels warm on his bare chest, which is weird. That indicates... alive.

It's too big to be an insect. (God forbid.)

They don't have any pets, Oikawa has allergies.

It's the size of a fucking mouse. Or a hamster. Neither of which make any goddamn sense.

In hindsight, it's lucky that it's so early and that Hajime is too tired to immediately panic.

Instead, he blinks a couple of times - and then he sits up.

The Thing topples ungracefully off his chest and right into his lap-

and it lets out an indignant squeal.

"Wah, what the-"

Hajime knows that voice.

He slaps a hand over to the bedside table and finds the switch of the small lamp that sits there, flipping it.

The light blinds him for a split second, but then his eyes focus on the Thing.

It's sitting cross-legged in his lap, rubbing the back of its head and looking annoyed.

"Ow, what was that for, Iwa-ch-"

And then it stops. And looks up.

Like... really far up.

They stare at each other for a moment, and neither of them says a word. Hajime feels the last of his grogginess fall away as incredulous confusion takes its place.

"...Oikawa?"

Oikawa (tiny, tiny Oikawa, roughly the size of a rodent) opens his mouth, then closes it again. And then-

"...did you grow, Iwa-chan, or did I shrink...?"

Hajime turns his head, eyes flitting over every object in the room - the wardrobe in the corner, the desk full of papers, the chair piled high with clothes, the cheesy glow-in-the-dark stars on the wall above the bed that Oikawa had put there, insisting that they made the room so much more homey - and assesses their size. Everything seems normal.

"Yeah, no. I think you shrunk," he says blandly.

Oikawa gets to his feet, but it's not like he could climb out of Hajime's lap if he tried - his legs are caging him in, and the blanket looks like a mountain range next to him.

He tries, anyway - he turns, looking for a way out, but ends up tripping over a fold in the blanket and falling over. Hajime can't stop the incredulous half-laugh that escapes him.

"Rude, Iwa-chan! Help me out of here!"

Hajime shakes his head, and the facts are slowly settling in.

"...you shrunk," he says. "You fucking shrunk."

"Well apparently," Oikawa says, not without sass. He scrambles to his feet again and turns back so he can throw a glare up at Hajime with his hands on his hips, but all it does is make Hajime giggle.

"You're tiny," Hajime says, grin spreading across his face. He reaches down to poke Oikawa's side, and Oikawa indignantly swats at Hajime's fingers - it feels more like gentle tapping than anything else, and that just makes Hajime laugh harder.

"Oh my god, get over it!" Oikawa says, sounding upset. "Is this really that funny? Help me!"

Hajime rolls his eyes, but pulls his hand back.

"Come on, Oikawa. If it was me, you'd never get over teasing me."

"Yeah, well, it's not you, as we've established?"

Hajime sighs a little, but he knows Oikawa has a point.

"Okay. So... why are you tiny? D'you buy shady drugs off a faerie or something?"

Oikawa huffs, offended. "Iwa-chan! You know I'd never endanger my career like that!"

"True," Hajime concedes, and his eyebrows furrow into a frown. "So... d'you piss off someone with access to spells?"

Oikawa pouts and mutters something unintelligible.

"If you want me to help you, speak up."

"I said yeah, probably, at some point," Oikawa repeats, and he doesn't look happy about it. "It probably wasn't my fault. A lot of people hate me."

Hajime shoots him a look. "It was probably totally your fault."

"Shut up, Iwa-chan."

"I thought you wanted my help."

Oikawa sighs. He lets his gaze sweep the room (or, well, what he can see of it, anyway) before looking down at himself.

"...I really am tiny, huh. And half-naked. Brilliant."

It's true - he's wearing what he had on when they went to bed the night before; a pair of gray sweatpants and no trace of a shirt.

Hajime frowns. "Yeah, that's... an issue." They're going to have to go outside at some point, to find out how this happened and turn Oikawa back. The middle of October isn't exactly the best time to be walking around shirtless.

"Fucking brilliant."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to CJ, who is apparently saving my life on a daily basis now: Thank you for reminding me that I'm still writing because I love it, and not out of obligation.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this. I was going to post the whole thing as one complete fic but I couldn't seem to get it done so I'm hoping to put pressure on myself by posting this now :') Like I need any more pressure. But whatever.  
> Hmu on [tumblr](http://frenchibi.tumblr.com) and yell at me. Or, you know, in the comments. Tell me what you thought.


	2. Bail Me Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Got a fae mark on ya?"  
> Oikawa stares at her in confusion. "A what?"  
> "Usually in... an intimate place," she explains, smugness spreading across her entire face. "Appears if ya've been affected by faerie magic."  
> "Uhm. I don't kn-"  
> "Well then ya best take those pants off and lemme check, sweetheart."

Leaving their apartment is already an ordeal without the added difficulty of Oikawa being about the size of a smartphone.

_("Oh, good" Oikawa says, with an unhealthy amount of I-am-so-done-with-everything._

_"...what?" Hajime asks - like there is anything at all that could still surprise him, at this point._

_"...I'm the size of my fucking phone."_

_Hajime blinks down to where he's set Oikawa down on the bedside table, and he can't even hide the laugh that bubbles up in his throat. "Holy shit, you_ are _."_

_Oikawa flops down beside the offending device right before it starts beeping with his alarm, making him flinch._

_Hajime reaches over him to turn it off, seeing as Oikawa would probably have trouble with that._

_"...no, wait," he says, closing his fingers around the phone. "...I think you're actually... a little smaller. Sorry, Oikawa."_ )

Oikawa insists on going through his usual skin care routine in the bathroom. Seated on the edge of the sink, he makes Hajime open several tubes and containers and squeeze out the smallest possible amounts (still way too much, of course) for him to use, which leaves Oikawa complaining about the waste of perfectly good product and Hajime to complain about the waste of perfectly good time.

The worst part, however, is actually going outside - because Oikawa still isn't dressed, and it's not like Hajime can make his clothes smaller (or like he owns a dollhouse. His sisters do, but they're too far away and they'd ask too many questions anyway. Also Hajime has doubts that Oikawa would agree to that kind of fashion, even if his life depended on it).

In the end, he stuffs Oikawa inside a sock.

Oikawa has probably never fought anything as hard in his life as he fights against that happening, though sadly to Hajime it's only kind of pathetic and definitely not threatening.

 _("Hold_ still _, for god's sake! I'm not letting you die of hypothermia because you're too proud to get in this damn sock!"_

 _"There's absolutely_ no way- _"_

_"It's clean, Oikawa, get over yourself!"_

_"I don't want to know where that's been-_

_"On my_ feet _, you dumbass?! Where the fuck else? Incidentally this one's literally just come out of the washing machine!")_

In the end, Hajime gives up on arguing and wraps Oikawa inside the sock by force - not one of his proudest moments, but they're on a tight schedule if they're going to see someone about this before class, and they really can't afford to waste any more time on this issue. So he gathers the (writhing, cursing) bundle of Oikawa up in his hand and carries him over to the door, where he stuffs him into the chest pocket of his jacket.

Oikawa's yelling is sort of muffled, but Hajime can definitely make out an "I can't _breathe_!" - so he sighs heavily and tugs at the fabric in his pocket until Oikawa's head resurfaces, his hair epically disheveled and the most offended expression on his face that Hajime has ever seen him wear.

"What the fuck, Iwa-chan, I could have _died_ -"

"Sorry," Hajime says, cutting him off. "Look... you don't want to be running around half-naked - especially not if we're going to try and get you help."

Oikawa forgets his anger in favor of blinking in surprise. "You know someone?"

Hajime shakes his head. "Not really - I know _of_ someone. Heard some classmates talk about a supplier, a store that sells herbs and shit? Figured we could go there first, see if anyone can tell us what made you shrink."

Oikawa is silent, seemingly absorbed in watching Hajime pull on his shoes and pocket his keys.

"...sound like a plan?" Hajime asks finally. "Or would you rather just... go to class like this?"

"In your fucking sock? I don't think so."

"Well then - don't do stupid shit and fall out, okay?"

Oikawa scoffs, twisting around to look up at him. "Do I look like an idiot?"

"...you look like a tiny person in my pocket. Pocketkawa."

Oikawa snorts in spite of himself, and Hajime smiles. He has a right to be pissed - but at least he's not depressed about it. Whatever this is, they'll find out how to reverse it for sure - and until then, he'll try to keep Oikawa as happy as possible.

~

The shop is closer to their college than Hajime would have thought, in one of the side streets that he and Oikawa don't really frequent.

They've kept their distance from the Magic Realm, as one is advised if one doesn't have any sort of power or protection (or friends who can provide such services). Obviously they're protected by law, as all non-magic folk are, but they've always been cautioned that you never know what could happen - so they've tried to steer clear of places they're not familiar with, for fear of stumbling into a portal by accident.

Even so, parts of the Magic Realm have always bled through to the Human one, and the strict segregation that past governments seemed to prefer had long-since been lifted, allowing humans to venture out and magic to venture in, along with various new species, cultures and traditions.

The place Hajime is taking Oikawa to, for lack of better knowledge or alternatives, is wedged in between a quaint-looking café (far too cute for this area) and what looks like an antique bookstore. Not too unusual - except when Hajime takes a closer look, he realizes that the store has no shelves, and all the books are just floating in mid-air. It actually looks... sort of cool.

"...this it?" Oikawa asks, ripping Hajime from his thoughts.

He turns his attention back to the task at hand, nodding. "Think so. Only one way to find out, though."

He's never been one to hesitate much, even with things that might be new and/or dangerous - especially not when he has a goal in mind, and even more so when it's for Oikawa. Damn it.

Hajime lets out a breath, shaking off whatever doubts he might still have had, and pushes open the door.

A tiny bell tinkles overhead, announcing their arrival, and Hajime enters the small shop, allowing his eyes to take in the room. The shop windows had had plants and little cabinets of spices and herbs (presumably - or other, more sinister substances that Hajime is decidedly not thinking about), and the inside isn't much different - jars and bundles of herbs dangle from the ceiling, small stacked boxes line the walls and the counter ahead is stacked with an assortment of trinkets and items Hajime can't identify.

The shop smells strongly of some kind of herb, though Hajime isn't sure which. It isn't unpleasant, just kind of overwhelming. Before he has a chance to comment on it or look to Oikawa for his reaction, the curtain behind the counter is lifted and a woman walks in, smiling brightly.

"Hey there! How can I help ya?"

Her blonde hair is cut into a short bob and her ears are covered in piercings, but Hajime can barely focus on her face - he's way too distracted by the luminescent tattoos that cover both her arms and her chest. They seem like they're... moving.

The woman lets out a laugh at his expression, and he shakes himself out of it. He can practically hear Oikawa; _it's rude to stare like that, Iwa-chan!_

"Ya must be new to all this, huh?" she says, beckoning him closer. "The name's Saeko. I'm guessin' yer human, huh?"

"Uh. Yeah." Probably wasn't smart to admit that - then again, he's evidently pretty obvious.

She must be able to see his concern, because she waves her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it! I'm human too, ya know. Just... very affiliated with the Magical." She gestures vaguely to her tattoos but offers no further explanation. "So, ya must be here for a reason, right?"

Hajime nods, and glances down at his pocket. Oikawa is looking out of it with great apprehension and distrust on his face, and if he was at his full size he might have been intimidating... in his current state, however, it was just sort of cute.

"Yeah. My friend, uh... shrunk?"

She follows his gaze and her eyes widen. "Oh," she says. "Hiya."

Oikawa only gives her a curt nod, trying to look dignified - admittedly that's probably not easy from where he is right now. Hajime reaches up and pulls him out of his pocket (carefully) and sets him down on the counter between himself and Saeko so he can stand on his own. He shakes off the sock (which Hajime snatches up again and stuffs into his pocket) and straightens up, lips pressed tightly together.

"How'd it happen?" Saeko asks, but she can't hide the grin spreading across her face. Oikawa is already opening his mouth to snap at her, but Hajime shoves him a little with the back of his hand, causing him to stumble.

"We're not sure," he answers, and Oikawa settles for just glaring up at him. Hajime is glad - at least he knows better than to piss off the one person who might know how to help him.

"Oh, I like a challenge," Saeko says. She reaches under the counter, procuring what looks like an ordinary lollipop - except that it's bright purple. She pushes it into her mouth as she lets herself look Oikawa up and down. "Got a fae mark on ya?"

Oikawa stares at her in confusion. "A what?"

"Usually in... an intimate place," she explains, smugness spreading across her entire face. "Appears if ya've been affected by faerie magic."

"Uhm. I don't kn-"

"Well then ya best take those pants off and lemme check, sweetheart."

Oikawa blushes bright red and exclaims in protest, but his voice gets swallowed by Saeko's laughter.

"I was kiddin'. I've got clothes in yer size, and even a changin' room. Ye're not the first case of shrinkin' I've seen." She reaches under the counter again and pulls out a deck of what looks like flash cards, holding a few of them up so Hajime and Oikawa can see the symbols painted on them. "That's what their marks look like. If ya got anythin' like that, that explains yer problem, kid."

Oikawa is too busy glaring at Saeko to actually thank her, so Hajime does it in his stead.

"Thank you, that really helps."

"No problem, kiddo." She turns to Oikawa and holds out her hand. "C'mere, I'll take ya to our... wardrobe."

Oikawa grumbles, but after looking back at Hajime once with definite malice, he climbs into her palm anyway. She beams at him. "Alright then!"

~

Hajime feels himself grow tense the moment Oikawa is out of his sight. He knows he's probably being ridiculous about this - he can hear Saeko talking to him in the next room, and he's pretty sure he could probably overpower her if he had to (unless those tattoos have some kind of properties, in which case he's already very screwed), but that doesn't make him any less nervous. He's the one who brought Oikawa here - of course it's not Hajime's fault that he shrunk, but if something happens to him here-

He lets his gaze wander, trying to distract himself - and his eyes catch on movement in the corner of the room. He blinks, and something shifts, and he finds himself staring into a pair of yellow eyes.

It's a cat.

A black cat, to be exact, practically impossible to see with how it's lying on an equally dark cushion, if it weren't for its bright, knowing eyes. Hajime instantly distrusts it, especially in the context of this shop.

Thankfully for him, the staredown with the cat doesn't last very long, because Saeko is already stepping back through the curtain with Oikawa in her hands. He's dressed properly now, thankfully, in a simple black shirt and a tiny pair of jeans, his shrunken sweatpants tucked under his arm.

"...any marks?" Hajime asks, tearing his gaze away from the animal in the corner. Oikawa shakes his head, and from the corner of his eyes Hajime swears he sees the cat slip away behind the counter and out of the room. Huh.

"So no faerie magic."

"No faerie magic."

Hajime looks up at Saeko, even as he holds out his hand and Oikawa climbs back over, huffing as he flops down in Hajime's palm and crosses his legs. Hajime can't help but notice that his shoulders seem to relax, just a tiny bit. "So now what?"

Saeko tilts her head to the side a little and pushes the lollipop in her mouth from one side to the other.

"Well. There's a couple'a options that'd explain why he shrunk."

"Like what, for example?"

She looks down at Oikawa thoughtfully. "Eat anythin' strange lately? Accepted food from someone ye're not sure ya can trust?"

Hajime blinks. "What, like some Alice in Wonderland crap?"

Oikawa snickers in his palm, and Hajime throws him a look. Oikawa of all people knows that Hajime knows the movie because his sisters love it - he's pretty sure Takeru watched it too, at some point, and Oikawa _likes_ Disney movies, he's definitely seen it more than once.

Saeko shrugs a little. "Ya never know what kind of potions people put in other people's food just to mess with 'em. Other than that... ya know 'ny warlocks who might wanna get back at ya for somethin'?"

Hajime clicks his tongue, thinking of Hanamaki's pranks all throughout high school. "None who are powerful enough to shrink him. At least not this long."

"Well then ya might just revert back on yer own soon," Saeko says, gazing down at Oikawa thoughtfully. "These spells an' potions don't usually last more than a few days, anyway, an' since it's not a faerie's doin', I doubt it's permanent."

Oikawa, instead of being relieved at the good news, reverts right back to bratty and crosses his arms in front of his chest.

"What, so there's nothing you can give me? I just have to _wait_?!"

She shrugs again, waving her hand. "Unless ya can tell me what turned ya tiny, I can't help ya. Don' wanna mess with this and make the wrong choice, ya know the wrong antidote could make things way worse."

"...worse?"

Hajime doesn't even want to know what else could go wrong, and judging by the way Saeko's expression hardens, he doesn't need to. Oikawa seems to agree with that sentiment, because he slumps where he's sitting, the fight draining out of him.

"...just great."

"So, like... I just carry him around until he turns back?"

Saeko shrugs. "I mean, ya could always lock him up somewhere if ya don' wanna do that, an' make sure nothing happens to him..."

Hajime blinks, sure she's joking, but there doesn't seem to be a punchline. Oikawa looks equally confused. "...seriously?"

"Yeah. It's kinda dangerous, bein' so small. Animals might see ya as prey. Ya could fall off somewhere and break yer neck. Something heavy could crush ya..."

She trails off when she sees their expressions - if Oikawa's is anything like his own, they must both look pretty shocked.

"Ya won't be small for that long - as long as ye're careful ya should be fine. I mean... ya could stay here, if ya want?"

Hajime is considering this, but Oikawa immediately shakes his head, twisting around to catch his gaze. "That's... that's okay. We'll manage." Hajime hears something like a question there, directed at him, so he nods. He's sure he's not imagining the way the tension leaves Oikawa, this time.

"Well, okay, if ye're sure. Drop by anytime if ya need anythin' then - an' good luck," Saeko says.

Hajime thanks her again, and as he carries Oikawa outside (returning him to his jacket pocket as he pushes open the door, the tiny bell tinkling again) his mind is already reeling with all this new information. He barely registers Oikawa talking to him, a little too absorbed in his own thoughts.

"...wa-chan. Iwa-chan."

"Ah- sorry, what?"

Oikawa pokes him in the chest - not that it's very effective, but it gets the message across. "Listen to me, Iwa-chan!"

"Yeah."

The setter huffs, almost disappointed at the lack of fight in Hajime's tone - but then he goes back to serious. "...you think she's right? That there's nothing we can do except wait?"

Hajime starts walking them towards the school, for lack of a better plan. He's got his schoolbag with him, and he guesses Oikawa can just... sit on his desk, or something?

"I don't know. I think that's the safest option for now, though. Who knows what other people might have done, honestly. We're lucky she was... relatively harmless."

Oikawa scoffs. "You're the one that walked us in there."

"...well, it's not like I had a choice? Better to talk to someone I've heard of instead of walking in blind!"

"Well, you heard how helpless I apparently am-"

Hajime tenses up, and Oikawa seems to feel it, because he shuts up.

"...I know," Hajime manages. "I know, okay? I'll make sure you get out of this without getting hurt."

He can see the relief in Oikawa's features, even though he can't really look at him properly in this position.

"You'd better," Oikawa says with a sniff, but it's evident that he's grateful.

_Idiot. Of course I'm not going to let anything kill you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to the people who commented - you're what keeps me going these days :)  
> Hope to be updating this and other fics again soon!


	3. Don't You Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I think you enjoy being a pain in my ass." 
> 
> "Ew, Iwa-chan. I'm in your _hand_." 
> 
> "Oh my God, Oikawa. Gross. That's not what I meant and you know it."

Hajime's resolve to protect Oikawa no matter the cost is tested a mere ten minutes after he'd promised not to let anything happen to him - and when it is, he goes from _I'll make sure you get out of this without getting hurt_ to _good fucking riddance_ at the speed of light.

He should have known, though, really, that this would happen.

Oikawa's always been a magnet for attention, with his prettyboy-demeanor and the confidence he oozes - which can be useful, no doubt. On the court for instance. Hajime would always rather play on Oikawa's side than against him (though admittedly, that's not just because of his confidence, and of how he tends to play mind games with his opponents - it's also because Hajime isn't even sure he'd know how to play volleyball without Oikawa by his side, calling his name, tossing the ball right where it needs to be). But off the court, Oikawa's natural tendency to be the center of attention is kind of annoying.

Most of the time, Hajime would ignore it - and if he and Oikawa were late for something or had made plans, he'd get annoyed and drag him away from the gaggle of fangirls that always seemed to follow him wherever he went, even now, in college.

Today, though - well. Today the circumstances are different, aren't they?

"Oh my god, it's Oikawa-san!"

Hajime barely has time to draw breath before he's swarmed by at least ten girls, all clamouring to get a closer look at the tiny, cellphone-sized Oikawa in Hajime's pocket.

Oikawa lights up, putting on a wide smile, and gives them a wave.

"Hi, good morning!"

"Oikawa-san, what happened to you?!"

"Oh _no_ , did someone curse you?"

"Will you be okay?"

Hajime takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, but having people press towards him from all sides really isn't helping.

"Sorry, I have to get to class, so if you could just let me through-"

But the girls ignore him, focusing on Oikawa as they move in closer. And then Oikawa, for whom Hajime has been sacrificing his sanity on a daily basis, has the gall to say: "Iwa-chan, let me out? It's not so comfortable talking from in here-"

With movements that are rougher than he might have intended, Hajime yanks Oikawa free of his pocket and holds him out towards the nearest girl, unceremoniously tipping his hand so he slips into her hastily cupped hands.

"Iwa-chan, hey-"

"Bye," Hajime says, no pity in his expression as he turns and easily sidesteps the girls, who are now cooing and descending upon the poor girl holding Oikawa protectively against her chest.

"Hey, don't push me-"

"Watch it!"

"Iwa-"

Oikawa's call is cut off, and Hajime lets out a huff of air. Serves him right.

~

That sentiment, in turn, only lasts Hajime all of two minutes.

He's entered the lecture hall and set up his things, and then found himself turning to where Oikawa would usually be sitting, ready to tell him to get his shit sorted already - only to find, of course, that Oikawa isn't there. Right.

He spends the next two minutes descending into a strange sense of panic - sure, Oikawa's fanclub cares about him, but what if one of them drops him in the turmoil? What if they're too rough with him?

Hajime snorts at the thought - he's exaggerating.

He's also tapping his knee and clenching his hands into fists and he can't seem to stop. God damn it. Damn Oikawa for always worming his way everywhere.

In the end, it's Sugawara who dumps Oikawa on the desk next to Hajime's laptop, and Hajime pretends not to notice his own relief when he finds him relatively unharmed.

"Found him getting practically taken apart by a bunch of girls - thought you might want him back," Sugawara says with a smile.

"Suga-chan, you're a lifesaver," Oikawa says. He looks a little disheveled, and is in the process of tugging his tiny shirt back into place.

"Oh, don't mention it," Sugawara says - but then his grin turns a little icy and he adds: "...yet. You never know when you can use a favor from the Grand King."

Oikawa sighs, resigned. "Figures."

Sugawara smiles innocently at him. "See you around, Oikawa. Hope you figure out how to turn back soon!"

And then he leaves, with a little wave and a wink.

"...crafty bastard," Oikawa mutters, and then he turns his attention to Hajime, who isn't looking at him.

He steps closer, poking one of Hajime's hands.

"Iwa-chan."

Hajime grunts in response. No way he's being that easy.

"...don't be mad at me, Iwa-chan."

Hajime sighs and drops his gaze from the screen to Oikawa. Damn it.

"...I'm not mad."

Oikawa frowns. "You are. Otherwise you wouldn't have abandoned me back there. You think I deserved that."

Hajime rolls his eyes - his goddamn pout is already turning him soft again, his anger evaporating like it was never even there.

"You didn't have to indulge them. It's your own fault, idiot."

Oikawa seems to sense his mellowing mood, because he slumps forward against Hajime's hand with a sigh. "I was sure Iwa-chan would come to my rescue, as always."

"Don't take me for granted," Hajime mumbles, but it's perfunctory. He knows Oikawa can safely assume that Hajime will always be there as long as he needs him, because Hajime is hopeless like that.

Oikawa seems to be thinking along the same lines, because he proceeds to step up onto Hajime's hand, using the sleeve of his hoodie as leverage, until he rights himself with a huff. "I know my Iwa-chan," he says, "and he wouldn't usually leave me at someone's mercy like that. Maybe you've been cursed too."

Hajime snorts, and tilts his hand. Oikawa loses his balance, tripping off the side and falling over onto the desk again. "Rude!" he says, with gusto, and Hajime manages a chuckle.

The sound makes Oikawa's shoulders lose some of the tension there - it wouldn't really have been noticeable, but Hajime is used to looking for these kinds of things. At least Oikawa's okay, he tells himself, though he'd never say that out loud.

He watches Oikawa get back up from where he's fallen, dusting off his tiny pants, and step up onto the back of his hand again. With a smirk, Hajime tilts his hand again, faster this time, and Oikawa has no chance of holding on or stabilizing himself before he's on his ass on the desk again, frowning up at him.

"Iwa-chan!"

"Get off my hand," Hajime says. "I need that to type, moron."

"I wasn't gonna _stay_ there," Oikawa says with a pout - he even crosses his arms in front of his chest, and Hajime can't help but let out another laugh.

"So stay on the table. Dumbass."

Oikawa looks upset, scrambling to his feet again. "I wanna sit on your shoulder, Iwa-chan!"

" _Why?_ "

Oikawa ignores the question, instead vaulting Hajime's hand so he's now standing between his arms, in front of Hajime's laptop keyboard.

"Lift me up, Iwa-chan!"

"What? No. Why?"

"Please?"

Hajime shakes his head at him, still not seeing the point. "No."

"Iwa-chan!"

A glance to the front tells Hajime the lecture has started, and people are quieting down. The group isn't exactly small, but he still lowers his voice when he turns his attention back to Oikawa. "I'm not lifting you onto my shoulder. Shut up."

"Fine," Oikawa says, in his best overly defiant voice. "I'll climb, then."

Hajime rolls his eyes - what's the point, really - and turns his attention to the front of the room, opening a new document on his laptop for notes. Might as well try and get some work done, though Oikawa is apparently hell-bent on not paying attention.

He's pulled himself up onto Hajime's right arm, slipping a little, and starts pulling himself up towards his shoulder on the folds of Hajime's hoodie.

It's distracting - it almost feels like a gigantic beetle is crawling on Hajime's arm. Of course he couldn't tune that out.

"God, Oikawa-"

Oikawa slips, and despite his indignation, Hajime's left hand comes up immediately to catch him.

"Fucking dumbass," he says. Oh, fuck it.

He sighs, as subdued as possible, as he deposits Oikawa on his shoulder. "There. Happy now?"

Hajime can hear the smile in Oikawa's voice, even as he lowers himself until he's sitting down, using Hajime's fingers as support. "Definitely! I can tell you all the answers now and no one will hear - you'll look so smart, Iwa-chan!"

"Oh shut up, you little-"

"Something you'd like to share with the rest of us, Iwaizumi-san?"

Hajime makes no effort to hide his sigh this time as he turns his attention to the professor. "No, sir."

But it's not like he can hide what he's doing - or rather, who's clinging to his fingers so as not to fall back onto the desk.

"...is that Oikawa? On your shoulder?"

Hajime glances at Oikawa, satisfied to see that he at least has the decency to blush. Hajime lifts him up, holding him out with his fingers closing around Oikawa's waist, kind of like an ice cream cone. "It is, sir. He got himself shrunk last night."

Several of their classmates start laughing, but Hajime manages to keep a straight face, while Oikawa looks absolutely mortified.

"Ah - food from a fae, huh?" The professor says, eyebrows raised. Oikawa opens his mouth to object, but Hajime has already pulled him back, his socked feet resting against the wood of the desk. He doesn't let go, though.

"Something like that," Hajime says. "He does a lot of stupid things."

"Hey!" Oikawa exclaims in protest, but barely anybody hears him over the chuckles of the rest of the students.

The professor eyes them both for a moment, then claps his hands together. "Alright - as funny as that may be, we still have material to work through today, so I'd appreciate it if you'd either take your argument somewhere else, or pay attention."

Hajime nods, and his grip tightens ever so slightly in warning. Oikawa is likely to get sassy in situations like these, and he really doesn't need to get in trouble with one of the professors right now.

The group's attention turns back to the front after a couple more of their classmates send them amused and/or pitying glances, and Hajime sighs for what feels like the millionth time that day.

"...if I put you on my shoulder, will you shut up?"

Oikawa crosses his arms in front of his chest, put-out.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Hajime deposits Oikawa back onto his shoulder - he even tugs the folds of the hood out of the way so he can sit properly, and mutters: "Don't fall." _Stupid idiot._

Oikawa grumbles something, too low for even Hajime to catch it, right next to his ear. He doesn't immediately sit down, either - he tugs at the hood until it's spread wider across Hajime's shoulder and settles inside it, rather than next to it, leaning back against the folds like one would against the cushions on a sofa.

Hajime peers down at him, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly, but he doesn't say anything, at first. Then a thought strikes him.

"If you tickle my neck, you're _dead_."

Oikawa snorts. "What, you mean like this-"

Before he can do anything, Hajime flicks at him with his fingers, and Oikawa can't right himself fast enough - he topples over backwards, slipping off Hajime's shoulder and into the depths of the hood on his back.

And really, who would blame Hajime for laughing at that?

~

Tooru huffs, punching the fabric where he knows Iwa-chan's back is. Iwa-chan really is a brute sometimes - and he doesn't know how to take a joke. And all this, coming from the guy who'd said he'd protect him! Honestly.

"You alive, Oikawa?" comes Iwaizumi's voice - but he doesn't sound concerned. Amused, maybe. He's still trying to stop snickering.

"Fuck you, Iwa-chan. You're supposed to be _careful_ with me!"

"Splendid," Iwaizumi says. "You can sulk back there, then. But be quiet."

Tooru huffs again, giving him another punch for good measure.

He does sulk, for the rest of the lecture. Stupid Iwa-chan and his stupid, mean attitude.

(Also maybe because he can't climb out of the hood on his own. Iwaizumi's back is too steep, apparently.)

Eventually, Tooru falls into a bored sort of half-sleep - there's nothing he can do back here anyway, and Iwa-chan obviously doesn't want to be disturbed. Tooru isn't quite sure how he can want to participate in this class while Tooru obviously has a situation going on here. After all, Iwaizumi would usually drop everything to help him. Or, at least, he always has. It's one of the (many, many) reasons why Tooru has grown so attached to him. Too attached, maybe.

That's an issue that's been plaguing him for longer than he'd like to admit - his ever-reliable, ever-loyal Iwa-chan. Honestly, how is he supposed to _not_ fall-

There's an abrupt jolt that shakes Tooru out of his thoughts - Iwaizumi is getting up out of his chair. Tooru manages to grab a fistful of fabric and hold on as he's jostled around, already opening his mouth to complain when Iwaizumi's voice carries back to him.

"Hey, Oikawa, d'you fall asleep?"

And for the purposes of revenge (petty as it may be), Tooru pretends not to be awake. Iwa-chan hasn't earned his company back yet - he definitely owes him an apology, at least. Yeah.

So Tooru stays silent, holding on as Iwaizumi walks them out of the classroom and, judging by the increasing noise level around them, out into the bustling hallway. Someone bumps into Iwaizumi from behind, briefly squashing Tooru rather uncomfortably, but he holds his tongue. Damned if he's going to give up so quickly.

"Oh, shit," Iwaizumi mutters above him, and Tooru is about to throw this revenge thing out the window because he wants to know what's going on, when he hears a new voice.

"Iwaizumi-san, can I speak with you outside for a moment?"

Oh. _Oh._ It's a girl.

Tooru’s brain kicks into overdrive, and he’s never wished more than he could _see_ what’s happening - what she looks like, how she’s looking at Iwaizumi-

“Oh. Uhm- yeah, sure, uh-”

“Tsubaki,” she says, and Tooru pictures her inclining her head a little. Someone Iwa-chan doesn’t know too well? Iwa-chan isn’t usually bad with names-

This is definitely a confession, isn’t it?

Shit, it is.

Tooru has never been so glad to have kept his mouth shut. If Iwa-chan knew he was awake, he wouldn’t let him witness this, that’s for sure. And though it hurts, _it hurts_ , nerves twisting Tooru’s stomach into knots... he’d rather be here and hear it first hand. If this is where he loses him-

He feels Iwa-chan stop walking, and prays that he hasn’t noticed Tooru’s tight grip on his hoodie.

When he looks up, he realizes that the fabric has shifted Tooru can see Iwaizumi rubbing at the back of his neck - he always does that when he’s nervous or uncomfortable… or flattered. Tooru’s insides clench at the thought.

“So- Iwaizumi-san, you probably know where this is going…” She laughs a little, breathless and probably cute. They always are - flustered and determined, or something. Tooru’s seen enough of these to be able to picture it perfectly, without even knowing her face.

God, he hopes he won’t have to learn to recognize it.

As she keeps talking, he’s tempted to poke Iwa-chan in the back on purpose and alert him to his presence - just so he doesn’t forget that they still have Tooru’s problem to solve, and that his loyalty should be with him, first and foremost.

It really is petty, isn’t it.

_Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go-_

“...so, I was wondering if you’d want to, uhm… maybe go out sometime? And- and get to know each other better?”

Ah, there it is.

_Don’t go-_

"I'm sorry," Iwaizumi says - and Tooru remembers how to breathe. "You seem... really nice, and-"

"I know you don't know me," she cuts in quickly, "but that's fine! I'd like to know more about you, Iwaizumi. Just give me a chance?"

Tooru can hear his smile, because he knows what that sounds like - he's learned to listen for it all his life, because Iwaizumi rarely smiles directly at someone, so Tooru would have to wait for the sound to know when to look to catch a glimpse of it. Iwaizumi's smile is enough to pierce his heart with incredible precision, and it always has been.

And now he's smiling at her.

It’s not a happy smile. It’s an apologetic one.

"Listen- Tsubaki-san. You seem like a wonderful person, but you don't want to go out with me."

Tooru frowns, even through his undeniable (damn it) relief, and he hears the girl make a surprised sound.

"But-"

"You don't want to, because I won't make you happy. You deserve to date someone who can."

"How are you so sure you can't? You don't even know me!" she says, and Tooru can tell that she's cracking, getting upset. She might cry.

"I don't need to," Iwaizumi says with a sigh. "There's someone else I like. It wouldn't be fair of me to go out with you when I have no intention of being your boyfriend."

Tooru has to stop himself from exclaiming out loud - there would have been at least 50 other ways Iwa-chan could have said that, doesn't he know girls are delicate-

But then the words register.

_There's someone else I like._

Ah, hell.

"...I see," the girl says, and Tooru can hear that she's trying to keep it together. Kudos to her, really, because that was harsh. "...thank you for your time, Iwaizumi-san."

He hears her skirt rustle as she turns, and her footsteps fading away - and then Iwaizumi sighs.

"...did you really think I'd forgotten you're back there?"

Tooru freezes - and then Iwaizumi's hand is back over his shoulder, only this time it's reaching down and pulling at his hood. "Get out of there, come on."

Tooru feels the stiffness fade into resignation. Damn this.

He pulls himself up on the folds of the fabric until Iwaizumi's hand is in reach, then he jumps. Iwaizumi's fingers catch him clumsily, and he pulls him out and holds him up in front of his face, palm up. Tooru frowns, and keeps pouting.

"Seriously, Oikawa. How childish can you get. Pretending to be asleep."

Tooru avoids looking at him, fussing over his disheveled clothes where Iwaizumi had grabbed him. "I was, though, at first,” he says defensively. “And of course I’d want to see how you handle confessions, Iwa-chan! Maybe it'd help me understand why you never managed to get a girlfriend!"

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes at him and tips his hand slightly, making Tooru stumble.

"Iwa-chan! Rude!"

"Shut up. You're the one who's rude, spying on people like that. I could squish you, you know? Like a bug."

Tooru gasps in outrage. "Iwa-chan, you _wouldn't_!"

"Or drop you. You'd take hours to get home."

He tips his hand again, more abruptly, and Tooru falls over, slipping right out of Iwaizumi's grip. He lets out a shocked yell, but Iwaizumi has already brought up his other hand to catch him, so he doesn't fall far. It's still enough to get his heart pounding uncomfortably in his ears, though.

"Iwa-chan!" Tooru gasps, and he grabs the nearest finger and clings to it. "Stop, please-"

"Sorry," Iwaizumi says, and it sounds genuine.

Tooru glares up at him, very aware that he's trembling a little, and Iwaizumi's expression softens. "I'm not gonna drop you."

Tooru bites his lip. "You'd better not."

There's more meaning here than he'd like to admit, and he's not sure if Iwaizumi catches it. He closes his hand a little though, cradling Tooru in it to make sure he doesn't fall again.

"Yeah. Sorry, that was mean. But you haven't exactly been easy on me today."

Tooru loosens his grip on Iwaizumi's finger and looks down at his palm, feeling the guilt drive heat up his neck.

"...mmh," he says.

"Is that supposed to be an apology, Tinykawa?"

At this, Tooru looks up, startled. "Did you just-"

"Because what you did was pretty rude, too, you know? Spying on that poor girl's confession."

Tooru scowls at him. "If you knew, why didn't you stop me, then?"

Iwaizumi holds his gaze for a moment, considering him. Then he just sighs.

"...whatever. Let's get home so we can figure out a way to reverse this. I'm tired of carrying you everywhere."

Tooru flops down into Iwaizumi's palm, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You think I enjoy being tiny and useless?"

"I think you enjoy being a pain in my ass."

"Ew, Iwa-chan. I'm in your _hand_."

"Oh my God, Oikawa. Gross. That's not what I meant and you know it."

"So who is it?" Tooru blurts, completely off-topic. His mind just keeps circling back to that - _There's someone I like_. He's not sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Had Iwa-chan lied? Or was there really someone else? What kind of person would he fall for? Is it a temporary crush, or something more serious? Does Tooru even stand a chance-

"Who's what."

Ah, but Tooru can tell that Iwaizumi knows exactly what he's talking about.

"The person you like, Iwa-chan!" he says, forcing his voice to be bright and void of any of the negative emotions swirling through him at that moment. "How come you never told me about them? Or did you just say that so she would go away?"

"Ah," Iwaizumi says - and then nothing.

Tooru frowns, because he's not looking at him anymore.

"Iwa-chan? I'm supposed to be your _best friend_ , aren't I? Why do you never tell me stuff like this?"

He's expecting Iwaizumi to come up with some witty retort, or to brush him off - but he just sighs.

"It doesn't matter," he says, and his glance flits down to meet Tooru's for a second before he looks away again, towards the building on the far side of campus. "It's not like anything's gonna happen with that."

Tooru opens his mouth to protest, but Iwaizumi is already moving him around again, reaching up to open his hood with his right hand before lifting and tipping his left so Tooru slides back to where he was sitting before.

"Don't move around too much, or you'll fall out," Iwaizumi tells him, and he's already walking again.

Just great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...will the pining ever stop...? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
>  Also I'm trying to be funny but idk :'D  
> [Tumblr.](http://frenchibi.tumblr.com)  
> ( ~~Feedback keeps your writer alive~~ )


	4. Kids In The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Hajime admits, “but it’s better than doing nothing…?”  
> Oikawa bites his lip. “Maybe.”  
> “It’s your call.”  
> He blinks up at Hajime with something like defiance and pride. “You’re the one walking into whatever this is. I’m already small. What else are they gonna do to me?”  
> He kind of has a point. Hajime swallows.  
> “Worth a shot.”

They don’t get very far.

It seems that today, things just aren’t going Hajime’s way, shrunk Oikawa aside (though obviously that’s the most prominent issue). He’s thinking about that, of course, and about Tsubaki, whose face he vaguely remembered from orientation, a kind girl who definitely didn’t deserve the awkward rejection she got. That’s Oikawa’s fault, though. Hajime had been pretty sure Oikawa was asleep when he left the classroom, mostly based on the lack of loud, obnoxious complaints about being stuck in Hajime’s hood - but of course that idiot had to move right as Hajime was about to politely turn her down, and remind him of the exact reason he couldn’t see himself dating her. Or… any other girl, for that matter.

Quite a lot of things in Hajime’s life are shaping up to be Oikawa’s fault, in some way or other. Not that he’d say that to his face, in most cases, but in all honesty that only adds to the frustration.

Hajime isn’t used to keeping secrets, and he’s not good at it, either. There’s only one, really, that he’s managed to keep for as long as he can remember, and even then he’s not sure he’s been very subtle about it (at least not if Mattsun and Makki’s raised eyebrows and knowing grins are to be believed). In any case, adding to it - that doesn’t seem smart. And he knows he’s been slipping up, too, letting irritation and fatigue bleed into his attitude towards his best friend. And that’s not really fair, is it? It’s not Oikawa’s fault that Hajime’s head over heels-

Well.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Hajime is jolted from his train of thought when something cuts across his path, startling him. Oikawa moves, too, and his voice carries up, not quite as shrill as it usually would be, but enough to convey his discomfort.

“Iwa-chan?”

“Wait a second-”

Hajime scans the bushes at the side of the path for the place the thing vanished, eyes narrowed - he’s not sure, but he thought he saw-

“Oh, fuck.”

It’s the cat.

The black cat from the shop, staring down at him from where it’s perched, on one of the posts of the fence lining the campus grounds. Its eyes are still uncomfortably yellow, unnatural and kind of terrifying.

Oh fuck, indeed.

“Iwa,” Oikawa hisses, and this time the urgency bleeds through, “what-”

Hajime doesn’t answer, because the cat gives him a look that sends a literal shiver down his spine - and a look that comes with a sharp, clear voice; _Follow me._

The sound (was it sound? It didn’t feel like it) vanishes as quickly as it came, and Hajime actually takes a step back, unable to tear his eyes away from the cat’s piercing yellow gaze.

It blinks at him, once, _knowing,_ before hopping down from its perch and setting off at a brisk pace down the path towards the building.

“Fuck,” Hajime says again, under his breath. He can feel Oikawa struggling to climb out of the hood, but he’s too dazed to lift a hand to help him - and somehow, when the cat stops and turns back to stare at him, it kind of feels more urgent.

“Iwa-”

“Hang on, okay?”

“What’s going on?”

He ignores Oikawa in favor of speeding up, because a certain instinct prevents him from playing off the voice he just heard as a figment of his imagination. He hasn’t exactly mingled with magic a lot, but he knows to spot it alright.

If this cat is what he thinks it is, following it might not be a good idea - in fact, all the hairs on his back are prickling with an unpleasant foreboding - but staying put could potentially be far more dangerous. He’s faced, once again, with two terrible, uncontrollable and infuriatingly magical options, and he hates it, just as much as he hated handing Oikawa over to Saeko.

It’s not magic he hates, per se, just the unpredictability of it. He likes it when things make sense.

“Iwa-chan!”

“Just- shut up for a second!” He’s aware that he must be jostling Oikawa considerably, but he doesn’t have time to explain this now-

“Why are we running?!” He sounds panicked.

“Because of the fucking cat,” Hajime says, though he’d argue that he’s not really running, just… hurrying.

“What cat?”

“From the shop. It was just here-”

He rounds the corner of the building, and the words die in his throat.

Because there, standing in his way, is a guy - tall, messy black hair and strikingly yellow eyes - completely nude.

“Jesus!”

He averts his eyes. “What the fuck, man?”

The stranger scoffs. “Never seen a shifter before, kid? Calm down - you were being unbelievably dense, so I needed to take extreme measures. Now will you _please_ follow me.”

“What? Who the fuck even are you? And why should I-”

“Because I know how to fix your friend.”

And without another word, he lifts his hands, snaps his fingers once, and seems to fold in on himself.

Hajime, still trying not to look at him directly, forces his gaze back in time to see the same yellow-eyed black cat standing in his place, staring at him pointedly.

“Great. Fantastic.”

His parents’ advice to never trust shifters keeps resurging from his memories, but what if the cat’s right? He knows about Oikawa - so clearly, Saeko told him, or he overheard - which doesn’t mean he necessarily has a solution, of course, but what if-

He blinks for a second.

Oikawa has been eerily quiet this entire time - unaware of Hajime’s racing thoughts or the weird spectacle he’d just had to witness, unaware that Hajime is following a shady shifter who promises to help _Oikawa._ Without even asking him.

What the fuck is he doing.

He tugs at his hood, tipping it forwards, and feels Oikawa topple forwards, letting out a startled sound. Hajime catches him easily, and opens his palm so he can sit up.

“What-”

“See that cat?” Hajime inclines his head, and Oikawa, instinctively, seems to recognize the urgency of the situation, because instead of protecting, he turns to look where Hajime is indicating.

“Yeah.”

“He just shifted into a human. And back into a cat. Says he knows how to fix you, and wants us to follow him.”

Oikawa blinks, taking only a second to process the information before he turns to Hajime with an incredulous stare.

“He shifted. And you’re following him. Are you insane?!”

“I saw him at the shop, when you were getting changed,” Hajime says, as though that makes him more trustworthy. He knows it’s flimsy, but Oikawa is hesitating as well.

“So he knows… what happened to me.”

The cat is fixing them both with its all-penetrating stare, but this time, it transmits no words. It simply swishes its tail and turns around, starting to walk away.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Hajime admits, “but it’s better than doing nothing…?”

Oikawa bites his lip. “Maybe.”

“It’s your call.”

He blinks up at Hajime with something like defiance and pride. “You’re the one walking into whatever this is. I’m already small. What else are they gonna do to me?”

He kind of has a point. Hajime swallows.

“Worth a shot.”

 

The cat leads them around the far end of campus and back towards the buildings, where several heads turn in confused amusement to see Hajime following around an animal walking with such… purpose. It seems to know exactly where it’s going, for it enters the nearest building like it owns the place - the gym, Hajime realizes with a jolt - and proceeds to head towards the stairs leading down to the changing rooms.

Hajime follows, at a distance, and watches as the cat deftly jumps up and opens the door to the men’s locker room. He lets the door swing shut behind it, hesitating, turning to look at Oikawa, still sitting on his palm.

“...good place for an ambush?” he says with a half-shrug.

“I dunno. I think there must be someone practicing today, so it’s not isolated?” Oikawa says. And then, as an afterthought, “do shifters have magic? Like, can they work spells?”

“I… don’t think so?”

“Well. I think you can take him, Iwa-chan.” He says it with confidence, enough to make Hajime crack a tense smile.

“Right.”

“Let’s go see what he has to say, then.”

Hajime steps forward, resolutely pushing open the locker room door.

He’s greeted by the shifter’s back disappearing under a shirt - he’s back in his human form, and has mercifully also put on a pair of pants, and he turns to grin at Hajime as he enters.

“...not that I mind being _au natural,_ ” he says, eyes crinkling with mirth, “but I think all of us are more comfortable this way, no?”

Hajime emphatically agrees, but he doesn’t have a chance to say so, because the shifter has spotted Oikawa.

“Ah - I thought I smelled trouble.”

“What?”

The shifter moves closer, eyes narrowing. “I wasn’t sure before, ‘cause you did a damn good job of hiding yourself - but it’s clear now.”

“What’s clear,” Hajime says impatiently, getting very tired of these vague statements.

“The imprint of the warlock who hexed him,” the shifter says, nonchalant. “I assume you were none the wiser, but to a cat - I could smell that trademark a mile away. He’s good, but not good enough to hide his tracks from my instincts.”

He gives Hajime and Oikawa a once-over, his cat-like pupils narrowing. “Though I doubt he thought he had to hide, since he’s not dealing with magic folk.”

Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair. “Surprised Saeko didn’t feel it, thought she had an affinity for spotting these things - but I guess in the end she’s human, too.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? And you still haven’t told us who you are!”

Hajime is aware that losing his temper won’t get them anywhere, but he’s sick of being pushed around and having everything go over his head.

The shifter raises his hands in submission.

“Okay, calm down. They call me Kuroo, and as you’ve seen - I’m a shifter. And your little friend here - pardon the pun - has been pranked by a warlock. Thought you might want to know. He’ll revert back to normal in about 12 hours.”

“...a warlock,” Hajime repeats, just as Oikawa says, rather shrilly, “Twelve hours?!”

“Relax. It’s not the end of the world. Actually kind of funny, if you think about it.”

Hajime is pretty sure that if Oikawa were his regular size right now, he would jump this Kuroo character and scratch out his eyes or something, and is subtly glad that he’s able to hold him back without breaking a sweat, simply by closing his fingers over Oikawa’s torso.

“Hey, I didn’t do this. I can totally take you to the guy who did, though, if you wanna get revenge. Though I suggest you wait until you’re back to normal.”

“How?” Hajime asks.

“The magic imprint has a distinctive… flavour, if you will. Every warlock is unique, and I can sniff him out. He’s actually pretty close.”

“Seriously?”

Actually, Hajime has some choice words to say to whoever did this himself, restraining Oikawa be damned.

“Oh, sure. But it’ll cost you.” Kuroo smiles an awful, fake-coy smile. “The information I’ve provided you with was a service to Saeko - I owe that lady a favor. But I don’t owe you anything.”

Hajime glances at Oikawa.

“...what do you want? We don’t have anything… magical to give you.”

Kuroo tilts his head. “Take me to your classes.”

Both Hajime and Oikawa frown. “...what?”

“The rules here are pretty strict - if you wanna study, you gotta be human,” Kuroo explains. “But this-” he gestures to his own body - “is super restricting. I prefer being a cat, and I know people can bring their pets. Plus, I don’t wanna pay tuition. I just wanna listen to a couple lectures, and leave when I get bored. Y’know, a guy’s gotta entertain himself somehow.”

Hajime blinks. “...seriously?”

Kuroo shrugs. “It’s not that much to ask, really, and easy for you to do.”

He’s not wrong. Something makes Hajime think there will be some kind of twist here, though. Oikawa seems to be thinking the same thing, because he says: “...and what’s the fine print you’re not telling us about?”

Kuroo smirks. “Humans. Always so suspicious! Saeko wants me to help out in the shop since I’m technically living there… I’d rather not, but I have no one to vouch for where I am when I’m gone. If you come pick me up and take me to class, she’ll let me off the hook for a while.”

Before either of them can say anything, he lifts his head.

“Oh. Your guy’s on the move.”

“What?”

“Guess class is over? We’d better hurry, if you wanna catch him. So, do we have a deal?”

Hajime catches Oikawa’s eye - and he knows instinctively that they’re in agreement by the way Oikawa is setting his jaw and drawing back his shoulders.

“Alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, who's it gonna beee...?? :'D
> 
> I'M BACK!! Keep your eyes peeled for the conclusion, I'm pumped to finish this soon!  
> In the meantime, your comments are my lifeline :D
> 
> (find me on tumblr and ko-fi @frenchibi)


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